Bexlee

For still cameras have a look at http://www.dpreview.com/ as ADP has already pointed out.

Although (I think) it's a UK based site, the prices listed are in US dollars. - So you'll need to work out the exchange rate.

Otherwise it's an excellent site.

In one section, for instance, you can feed in the spec you're after (with as much or little detail as you want) plus your price range, then look at the side-by-side comparisons of the cameras that fit your needs...

Pretty much every digi camera there is is listed (including all the obsolete ones).

The reviews are very full too (Some of the top camera's have 15+ page reviews..)

When you've got it down to a few choices, have a look at the reader/user opinions... (though I'd take a lot of this with a pinch of salt...)

Check it out



[Edited by RichS - 10/3/2002 6:14:46 PM]

 

I am in the early days of research, & Scoobynet seems to always be a good first port of call for techie advice.

Ideally I am looking for a camcorder that will also take good still snaps. Needs to be small & no more than 750GBP. Does such a thing exist? Usually, if you want the best of both worlds there is usually a trade off somewhere. Is that the case here?

 

One of the higher spec JVC models take Digital Stills as well as normal digital camcorder functions.
Can't remember which one, but should be well within your budget.

 

Depends what you mean by 'good'.

We bought a Sony DCR-PC101 for £800 or so from Cameras Direct. We're well chuffed with it - light, small, well-featured and with superb picture and sound quality. The stills are pretty good, too (send me a mail and I'll send you some examples, if you want).

 

I've gat a JVC DV camcorder, the video is brill but the stills are very average, they all are.

 

normarker,

Think we've probably got the same or similar cams. Mine is selling these days for 400gbp and it's the entry level digital camcorder from JVC. The video is excellent quality as you say (though the autofocus can get a bit mixed up sometimes) and the "snap shots" are ok but not great.

PC Software that comes with it is not too bad but the serial link cable for tranfering still pics to a PC is far to slow. Trying to find a DV cable for mine do see if that will help.

 

I reckon whatever you buy, you'll be a mite disappointed with the stills from a video recorder.
If you've got £750 to spend, look for a deleted model last year's camcorder from Sony, Panasonic, JVC etc, then spend the other £400/300 on a decent still camera. there are some crackers out there for that sort of money.
alcazar

 

I just bought a Fuji S602 Digital still camera. You can get em for 550 ish. Buy an IBM 1 gb microdrive for 200 ish then you can also record video with sound at 640 X 480 for about 15 mins or 30 mins at 320 X 240.

It is an awesome bit of kit, Im well chufffed with it
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujis602z/

 

I just bought a JVC 767 DV - and so far - it seems great - haven't yet tried the quality of the stills, but everything else seems good, the spec is similar to the sony machines that cost buckets more! some things are even better ! It also has DV in and Out so that pc editing can be done.

Cheers
Nick

 

Thanks for the responses guys.

It seems that there is the usual trade off when trying to find something that does 2 jobs.

Alcazar's suggestion is something I had been considering. I don't need professional quality, just the best home use quality for the money available.

Best 400 GBPish digital camera with a reasonable zoom?

 

anyone find that the JVC DVcamcorder motor is quite noisey???

i changed mine for a canon equivalent 450i, and got a firewire card chucked in from Currys for good measure!!!!

BB

 

Don't forget to budget a bit for storage and batteries for your still camera.

What do you mean by a 'decent zoom' - wide range or good quality, as both don't usually go hand in hand?

Don't get too hung up on the number of pixels - some 2Mp cameras produce better pictures than 3Mp camera due to better in camera processing.

I'd suggest a Nikon Coolpix 2500 (2.1Mp, 37-111mm zoom, 270GBP), plus a bigger storage card (128Mb ~50GBP) and a spare battery (40GBP). Nikon are producing a 3.2Mp version, the Coolpix 3200 soon, but not sure of price.

www.empiredirect.co.uk
www.warehouseexpress.com
www.fotosense.co.uk

 

marty_t3
Mines the dvl367, usb for the stills so much quicker. Its also got dv in and out which was the reason I got it. You can edit the video then put the edited version back on the tape.
Batteries, I've said it before i know, www. sabahoceanic.com. are half UK prices and arrive in 2 or 3 days.
DV stills will be no better than 1mp at best, a decent digicamera will be vastly better. You need both, thats all there is to it.
If you want to see what a decent still looks like email me an ICQ number and I can send you one taken at Rockingham last Sun

 

Thanks everyone. I now have some direction for starting some research- all part of the fun!